Four Rugeley members were recognised on Thursday night with NSRA Special Service Awards for their contributions to the club and sport. Presenting the awards was Cllr Olivia Lyons – the Club President.
Russell Barlow received a Special Service Award for his work instructing novices and for his promotion of disability sport. Russell has devoted huge amounts of time to coaching and promoting and encouraging participation both within the club and volunteering at events such as the British Schools Championship Finals.
Becky Andrews and Carl Kimberley both received Special Service Awards for their work on the marketing team, raising the profile of both the club and sport nationally through their work on the web and across social media.
Richard Hemingway received a Bronze Special Service Award for a variety of volunteering work at several levels. As well as contributing to the marketing team, Richard is the current Club Captain and has served as Staffordshire County Captain since 2022, also representing Staffordshire as the County Representative to the NSRA Shooting Council. He also volunteers as Membership Secretary with the Welsh Smallbore Rifle Association.
Rugeley Rifle Club was represented at Sunday’s civic service marking Sir Ian Dudson’s impending retirement as Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire. Graham Kershaw attended the service at Lichfield Cathedral with his wife Glenys. Sir Ian visited the club in March to present the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Sir Ian will formally leave office on July 15th – his 75th birthday. Lord Lieutenants must retire at 75. In Apil, Professor Liz Barnes, teachers and former Vice-Chancellor of Staffordshire University was named as Sir Ian’s successor.
Sir Ian presents the King’s Award to Club Chair Martyn Buttery in March
Rugeley Rifle Club earned a close win against Hampshire-based Alton Rifle Club in a friendly today. Shooting on their home ranges, Prone and Benchrest teams shot Shoulder-to-Shoulder over two cards each, with the best five scores to count from teams of up to seven.
The prone teams fought a close battle, with Alton slipping ahead by just three points. Alton’s J. Mullins took the highest individual score of 198/200.
In the Benchrest, S. Forster of Alton was the only shooter to go clean, but Rugeley benefited from depth, with a lowest counting score of 197, which saw them take a decisive lead overall.
Rugeley Rifle Club was honoured to host the Lord Lieutenant for Staffordshire, Sir Ian Dudson KCVO CBE on Friday 28th March at our annual prizegiving. Accompanied by local councillors and Josh Newbury MP, Sir Ian visited to present the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, gazetted in November. Whilst visiting, he presented a number of awards and trophies and toured the club, viewing the ranges and learning about the club’s volunteering and charitable activities.
The Lord Lieutenant was accompanied by Cllr Phil Hewitt (Chair, Staffordshire County Council), Cllr Steve Thornley (Chair, Cannock Chase District Council), Cllr David Williams, Josh Newbury MP and the Rt Hon Dame Amanda Milling.
Represented GB at 2024 FISU World University Shooting Championship in New Delhi
Megan Bamsey
Represented GB at 2024 FISU World University Shooting Championship in New Delhi
Helen Robinson
Selected as reserve for the GB team in the Drew U-21 Match
The Lord Lieutenant meets members of the Committee.The Lord Lieutenant meets members of the Committee.County Council Chair Phil Hewitt with Alex Buttery.The Lord Lieutenant takes aim with a benchrested rifle on the 50metre range.The Lord Lieutenant takes aim with a benchrested rifle on the 50metre range.The Lord Liutenant presents the King’s Award for Voluntary Service to Club Chairman Martyn ButteryTommy Glover of SAS 4×4 Response stands with their cheque with dignitaries.The Media Team receive the Secretary’s AwardLee Featherstone presents check to representative of Rugeley and District Community First RespondersLee Featherstone presents cheque to representatives of Staffordshire & Shropshire 4×4 Response
Congratulations to Rugeley’s Competition Secretary Dave Glover, who has been appointed Adjutant to the GB Wakefield Match Team. The two year appointment will run for the 2025 and 2026 years, and normally leads to a two year appointment as Captain.
The Lord Wakefield Monument Trophy Match is an international postal match held in September, originally between Great Britain and Sweden. In 1985 Sweden was unable to raise a team and the match went in abeyance until 1991 when it resumed with a new field of competitors including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. The course of fire is an “English Match” – 60 shots at 50metres on NSRA/ISSF targets, using integer scoring. Competitors shoot on their home ranges, under supervision of a qualified witness.
Five of the ten team members are selected based on performance at the NSRA National Meeting at Bisley, with the other 5 taken from the top individuals in NSRA Comp 103 and 303 (10-metre postal leagues).
At the British Shooting Awards 2024 this weekend, Rugeley Rifle Club was honoured with the Target Change Award, presented to organisations that have made a significant contribution to public engagement and/or public perception of the sport.
Club Secretary Lee Featherstone accepted the award on behalf of the club and its volunteers, accompanied by Club Captain Richard Hemingway; Property Manager Graham Delaney and Treasurer Craig Dower – who is also GB Head Coach (Rifle & Pistol). The Award further recognises the community work done by the club over the past 10 years, which was highlighted when the club received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in November 2024. The King’s Award will be formally presented at the club’s annual prizegiving on March 28th by the Lord Lieutenant for Staffordshire, Sir Ian Dudson KCVO CBE.
Over the past 10 years the club has worked with the Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services and Vysions Youth Service of Brereton, providing summer camps for local young people in association with Burntwood Target Sprint. Participants have completed volunteer work at the club including a mural on the outside of the range, and in return learned to shoot Olympic Air Rifle and Air Pistol. Since 2021, more than 900 young people have learned to shoot safely through the club’s community outreach activities.
In 2019, the club fundraised for a Public Access Defibrillator, which saw the adoption of Rugeley and District Community First Responders as a supported charity and the more recent installation of an emergency Bleed Control Kit.
In 2022, the Club supported British Shooting in bringing the National Finals of the Schools Pistol and Rifle Championships to Cannock Leisure Centre, with Rugeley members volunteering as Range Officers and match administration during the competition. British Shooting have returned to Cannock every year since.
Club Captain Richard Hemingway said “To receive such a prestigious award, whilst surrounded by Olympic and Paralympic Champions is a real honour, and a well deserved recognition of the hard work put in by all the club’s volunteers over the past few years.“
During all this time, the club has enjoyed hosting guest nights for diverse local community groups, running an air rifle range at Brereton Carnival and serving as a venue for local groups including Viking re-enactors and West Midlands 4×4 response.
The Awards were held on Saturday 18th January 2025 at the Imperial War Museum (IWM North) in Trafford.
The British Shooting Awards 2024 were held at the Imperial War Museum North in Trafford.Club Secretary Lee Featherstone accepts the Target Change AwardSome of the 900 new shooters who have passed since through the club since 2021Young Guns 2024
Rugeley shooters have been in action at the regional heats of the British Shooting Schools Championship. On the 20th November, Abbi and Pippa competed at Ellesmere College in the West Midlands Pistol Regionals.
Qualifying fifth, Abbi shot a strong final to picking up bronze in the Junior class, whilst Pippa climbed from third place in qualification to win Silver in the Intermediates.
A few days later, Abbi was in action again at the NSRA’s West Midlands Regional Centre at Aldersley, shooting in the West Midlands Rifle Regionals, where she took a decisive win in the Junior 10M Sporter Rifle class!
Abbi and Pippa will both be finding themselves busy at the National Finals at Chase Leisure Centre in February!
Abbi takes Junior Bronze and Pippa takes Intermediate Silver in the 10M Air Pistol Regionals at Ellesmere CollegeAbbi takes Junior Gold in the 10M Sporter Air Rifle Regionals at Aldersley
Ed Vickers attended the Benchrest UK National Open at Portishead Shooting Club in Somerset this weekend, where he faced off against some of the UK’s top Benchrest shooters, including Trevor Eling – who recently ran a workshop at Rugeley. Shooting at 50metres, the matches were shot to International WRABF rather than NSRA rules, allowing the use of a rear rest under the butt of the rifle, in addition to the front rest.
In the “Light” Air Rifle (<10.5lb) event on Saturday, Ed fought tricky conditions to finish 38th of 40. On Sunday, Ed rallied in the “Heavy” Air Rifle (<15lb) to place 14th/35, edging Trevor into 15th place by three points!
Thankyou to Ian Dudson CBE, Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire for his kind words on the announcement of the club’s receipt of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. We very much look forward to the formal presentation with the Lord Lieutenant in the New Year.
With great pleasure and excitement, the Committee can announce that Rugeley Rifle Club has been honoured with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. Gazetted this morning, the King’s Award is the highest honour a voluntary group can receive in the UK, equivalent to an MBE. Rugeley is the first shooting sports club to ever receive this award.
Volunteering is at our heart
This award is a testament to all our volunteers, including the property team, coaches and administrators; but in particular recognises the work the club has done outside it’s own membership and the positive impact it has had on the wider local community. Over the past 10 years the club has worked with the Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services and Vysions Youth Service of Brereton, providing summer camps for local young people in association with Burntwood Target Sprint. Participants have completed volunteer work at the club including a mural on the outside of the range, and in return learned to shoot Olympic Air Rifle and Air Pistol.
Defibrillator unveiled 2019Vysions paint a mural at RugeleyYoung volunteers enjoy learning air pistol
Rugeley volunteers support British Shooting Schools Championship
Alongside these major events, the club has enjoyed hosting guest nights for diverse community groups, running an air rifle range at Brereton Carnival and serving as a venue for local groups including Viking re-enactors and 4×4 response.
Sporting Achievements
In competition, the club’s Air Rifle A-Team won Division 1 of the National League three consecutive years from 2018-2020, and again in 2022. Members have represented England, Wales and Great Britain, with recent sporting highlights including:
Rugeley Rifle Club is just one of 262 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The work of these organisations reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award.
Representatives from the club will receive the award crystal and certificate from Ian Dudson, Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire later this year. In addition, two volunteers from Rugeley Rifle Club will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in summer 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Club Chairman Martyn Buttery said: “To be nominated for such a prestigious award as The Kings Award for Voluntary Service is an honour in itself but to actually win is such an incredible achievement. It goes to show what can be done and achieved with a positive attitude.“
Club President Olivia Lyons said: “I am was absolutely delighted to hear that Rugeley Rifle Club had been awarded a King’s Award, it is a real testament to the Club’s Committee and the volunteers who work tirelessly to make it such a success. The Club is a real asset and hive of activity within our local community, supporting a number of local voluntary groups, hosting youth programs and nurturing the talent of the many Club members. The award is such a fantastic achievement, which will be shared and celebrated with our whole community.”
